Local voters will have plenty of opportunities to hear from candidates before the July 31 primaries with three forums for candidates in the next two weeks.
League of Women Voters, June 12
The Rockdale-Newton chapter of the League of Women Voters will hold its candidate forum this Tuesday, June 12, 6:30 p.m. at the Rockdale Auditorium, 903 S. Main Street, Conyers. Voter registration will also be available starting 6 p.m.
Candidates from contested primaries for July 31 have been invited, including Sheriff, Commission Chair, Post I Commissioner, state House Representative districts 90, 92, 109, 113 and 114, and the Fourth Congressional District positions.
Candidates who are in uncontested primaries will be acknowledged but not invited to participate. Several of the partisan races only have candidates either the Republican or Democratic primary, effectively making the July 31 primary the deciding election.
Candidates will have a chance for an opening and closing statement and about two minutes to answer two or three questions per primary race.
Chapter president Allene Eatman said as of Friday the following candidates had confirmed they would attend:
Commission Chair: Democrats incumbent Chairman Richard Oden and Brian Jenkins (Jenkins noted his reservations with the forum format)
Post I Commissioner: Democrats incumbent Commissioner Oz Nesbitt and Jerry Shepperd; Republicans Tom Harrison and Sam Smiley
Sheriff: Democrat Eric Levett (Democrat Donald Ferguson will be out of town)
District 92: (all Democrats) Tonya Anderson, Doreen Carter, Kathy Harvey, Sherri Washington, Doreen Williams
District 109: incumbent Republican Steve Davis (Republican Dale Rutledge will be out of town)
District 113: (all Democrats) incumbent Rep. Pam Dickerson and Toney Collins
District 114: Republicans incumbent Rep. Tom Kirby and Randy Upton
Fourth Congressional: Democrats incumbent Congressman Hank Johnson, Lincoln Nunally, Courtney Dillard; Republicans Greg Pallen and Chris Vaughn
For more information, contact Allene Eatman at 678-413-9520.
South Rockdale Civic Association, June 19
South Rockdale Civic Association will hold a forum for judicial candidates on Tuesday, June 19, 7 p.m., at Union United Methodist Church, on the corner of Union Church Road and Ga. Highway 138
Candidates for the nonpartisan Superior Court judge race and the partisan Clerk of Courts, Probate Court Judge, Magistrate Court Chief Judge races have been invited.
Questions will come first from audience members and then prepared questions will be asked.
SRCA President Don Meyer said SRCA had organized its forum before the Fraternal Order of Firefighters candidates’ forum for Commission Chair and Post I, which is on the same night. “Our program was set couple months ago and we had sent out notifications to the (local party) chairs. I understand firefighting is an important issue,” said Meyer. He added that these judicial positions make decisions that can affect residents’ taxes, property rights, voting, and a wide range of critically important areas.
Candidates confirmed to attend as of Friday are:
Superior Court (nonpartisan race): Robbie Mumford, Gary Washington, Earnelle Winfrey
Probate Court: Republican incumbent Judge Lillis Brown, and Democrat Charles Mays, Sr. (Caycie Dix will not be able to attend)
Magistrate Court: Republican incumbent Judge Rudy Horne (no response by press time from Democrat Phinia Aten)
Clerk of Courts: Republican Holly Bowie (Democrat incumbent Ruth Wilson said she is undecided)
For more information, contact Don Meyer at 770-815-3704.
Fraternal Order of Firefighters, June 19
For the first time ever, the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Firefighters will hold a candidates’ forum to discuss public safety issues and issues affecting firefighters.
Candidates for Commission Chairman and Post I Commissioner have been invited to attend the forum on June 19, 6:30 pm., at the Rockdale Auditorium, 903 Main Street.
Organizer and local FOF Treasurer Dan Morgan said they didn’t realize there was another candidates’ forum, with a different focus, also on the same night.
“We found out after we were too far gone to change our date. Since it wasn’t pulling from the same group of candidates we decided to move forward,” said Morgan.
For more information, contact dr_firefighter@yahoo.com
